Tuesday, March 25, 2008

Independent Voters: Largest Voting Bloc

So we've known this for a long time, but here's even more proof that there are more self-identified independent voters in the U.S. than either Democrats or Republicans:
In 5,566 interviews with registered voters conducted by the Pew Research Center for the People & the Press during the first two months of 2008, 36% identify themselves as Democrats, and just 27% as Republicans.

The share of voters who call themselves Republicans has declined by six points since 2004, and represents, on an annualized basis, the lowest percentage of self-identified Republican voters in 16 years of polling by the Center.

The Democratic Party has also built a substantial edge among independent voters. Of the 37% who claim no party identification, 15% lean Democratic, 10% lean Republican, and 12% have no leaning either way.
These poll results from the Pew Research Center should also help put to rest the common misconception that independent voters are liberal Democratic leaners.

1 comment:

mw said...

""These poll results from the Pew Research Center should also help put to rest the common misconception that independent voters are liberal Democratic leaners."

But what it does not put to rest is the notion that the independent voter block is any larger than 12%. My experience has been that people like to claim they are independent, but the "leaners' vote as reliably as partisans for the party they lean toward. In the privacy of the voting booth, Dem leaners vote Dem, Rep leaner vote Rep - They are IINOs - Independent In Name Only.